The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-01-02
EDWIN BOOTH.
Personal Observations of the
Great Actor
BY ONE OF HIS COMPANY.
gedian's Generosity-How the
? Physician Cut Macbeth
EDWIN BOOTH.
BY ONE OF HIS COMPANY.

Among the earlier things that too
hold upon my childish Imagination wa
the name and fame of Edwin Booth
Associated with visions of the T over G
London, an open desire to drive six
horse coach and a secret longing t
break lance in joust for the favor @
fair Rowena,was my desire to see III
great actor. l am unaware how hi
name came to be familiar to me SO earl,
in life, for I do not think my falhe
and mother were theatre-goers to an,
extent or even had ever seen him. Liyin,
in the west ! had grown to be quite
youth before the desire was fulfilled
and when it was l saw and heard anc
was disappointed. The first time !
ever saw Edwin Booth was during th.
easter vacation of my freshman wear il
college. 1t was at the Booths Theatre
on 23d Street, New York, anc
the play, was Othello, with nv
hero in the part of Iago.
Even now retain distinct impressions of
| pIeasure-of a wonderfully graceful
person, with fine eyes, but 1 left the
theatre with a vague disappointment.
had looked for superna tural sensa-
tons and had fallen upon the least
likely of all Mr. Booths creations to
fulfill my expectations. l understand
now perfectly why my disappointment
was natural and it was the greatest fat
terry to Mr.. Booths portrayal Of the
part, but l should not advise one who
~ NNE gnn
to select Iago.
the winter of 1855 WHEN was @ stu
dent at Columbia Law school.
Knowing thatI had a dangerous pen-
chant for the stage and determined to
love the law. | had persistently
eschewed the theatre until LII.
Booths engagement began at the
Filth Avenue theatre. Again tie first
night | saw him the play was
0theilo, but this time with Mr..
Booth in the title role. l be-
lieVe Mr.. Booths Othello is NOT
ranked among his greatest works. bot
nothing ever made greater impression
upon me IN a theatre. l was spell |
bound by an ecstactic enchantrnept |
and wondered now the audience (prob- |
ably very enthusiastic one) could DE |
so cold. From that night my fate was
sealed and l have ever since been NUN
oered among his most enthusiastic adj
nlrerS. For me he has always had
strange fascination. 1 always felt at
the theatre a personal and patriotic !.
ofde N the man, which found no rest
but in hard working and laborious ap-
olaase, an interest l have been too
azy TO feel in any other actor.
have said this much 10
put your readers on their
guard against myself. In writing
d Mr.. Booth will write OF him a /
think and will speak only
rom the observation whioh my
United experience III his COM |
ANY has given me, but in what
snail say L shall speak only
or mySeH and claim neither
oe unbiased nor infallible. l re-
iemoer the impression Virgil's figure l
speech madesupon me as a bow: G
NOW, as then, on dit begins humbly put /
rows ana expandsuntil it stalks across e
re earth and holds its head AMONG the c
ouds." All great men imagine have q
cen aStonlShed at the tenscity of pub l
decisions in regard to themselves. e
remember Macready in his charming t
tells how the story al biS f
wing some children from a burning |
hiding pursued him relepIlessI4 y
trough his whole life. Mr.. Macreadv Il
as a gentleman and had no desire n g
ear uHearDed iauIels, and contraGicted e
lie SEory again and again only TO fnd it t
appear like BaBquo's Ghost which a
ou!d not down. Mr.. Booth in no ex L
option to this Sule. 81
There have been few men in nuLjio n
e to whom on dit has been kinGer fe
r. Booth has been the idol of his b.
all his life and TO- CT
nateVer cause 1t is due l venture IN
Y that few men have lived in the in
are OF public scrutiny so long nm. n
atEed. Nevertheless. there are well. NJ
Oh universal opinions abroad moi pI
mpiimentary to Mr.. Booth. One of h
ese says he has no regard for his nro- 81
sslon; that he only cares 70 ,Iaka %
oLey out Of Ii; that he has done IiTtle s.
II and Is doing stillless; that he sur D,
unds himself with incompetent SIM NJ
ri; ana have heard this f-eGuer+Iv NJ
rbuted to jealousy of rivaIrv. A:any b
90 people repeat the oft-toiG fcrion ne
az ais disgust for his art is shown Inv pc
tact thaC be has never allowed MS at
lighter TO enter a tteater. 7 hsva te
IN TOLD by friend of MIR. Booth's De
1t before her marriage his dauabtar in
;upled a box regularly az his Darfnr,n. Sc
;es, ana L have since seen her mysa,f of
-ohg ms auditor. | was told hy ar
ny, and some who ought to bays he
own that Mr.. Booth would NOT cnT,e an
rehearsals. and that he was ol,ite in lit
erent to the work of his siibo~dss- sir
s, so long IS they did not actnaIIv in N
iere with his effects. Insg;ne' ny, nv pa
onlShment at our sec0n6 re, it
Esai ia New York on seems NJ sol
'tn present, and the hardest work. tai
individual upon the stage. d;rkr.ing the
suggesting to all. l have siaaa me
n led TO believe that be is naTe my
etul observer than even bis own no sc
glYe him credit fo-; for he is kind sud my
enough to avoid c6rrecfino ne
before others. From what 7 bars To
e seen and heard should saw NJ sec
tn was probably not an exacting. | !
l, but That he was very obserysnf Do
was myself very conscious NJ 10 psT
n1on atthat hrst rehea, sal. for he anC
Fly threw me into nervous ST bv eor of
ing pronunciation and making me ma
:at an entrance several times. fins. oui
ing IN his graceful and perfect wav. wal
now 1t was done and making me- nv
Infinitely awkward in NV attsmnt wit
Loiiows him. Mr.. Booth has t-np, dor